Archives for April 2011

Just because you’re white and nerdy doesn’t mean you can’t also be the coolest cat in the building. For example, there’s no one on Star Trek nerdier than Data the android, but despite this, he still manages to be the best character on the show and an enduring icon for robots everywhere. Now, to pay Data his proper respect, some enterprising Star Trek fan has mashed up TNG and Weird Al to pay tribute to Data, everyone’s favorite white and nerdy android.

Watt bulbs, which measured light by electricity used, didn’t accurately reflect how lights actually brighten. Out with the watt, in with the lumen, which is a measure of actual light strength rather than electricity used. A traditional 100-watt bulb yields about 1600 lumens. The new bulbs, which will probably be CFLs, LEDs, or mercury-free halogen incandescent bulbs depending on the price, will provide the same amount of light and the same yellowish tint of light we’re all used to, but at a slightly higher starting price.

That higher starting price will make up for itself in the form of decreased electricity use. That 100-watt bulb yielding 1600 lumens will actually consume only about 72 watts of power at maximum, with CFLs and LEDs consuming far less than their traditional peers.

… no matter how good she is when it’s just us here, no matter how well she listens, how predictably she behaves, whenever she gets a bug up her butt to do what she wants, that’s what she does. Yesterday, she ran over to the neighbors’ and ignored me as I yelled at her to stop and then, when I went and got her, she went trotting after the Butcher like “Oh, man, I’m having this great adventure and making B. angry! It’s awesome.”

My dog Libby does the exact same thing. When I call her, she stops to look and then takes off running away from me. Ahhhh dogs. You gotta love them.

Little Erin says she wants us to have a baby in the house. No. Absolutely not. Even though both my daughters have pregnant friends, I hope they wait a few years before making me a Grandma. Erin think *I* should have another. Again – absolutely not.

However, I truly am greatly enjoying the pregnancies of other people, especially TheoGeo who we’ve featured here before.

This week there is a little lime-sized thing in me. If all is still well, its bones are hardening, its tooth buds are forming, and its little fists are getting ready to start opening and closing and, hopefully, getting ready to be christened with good old-fashioned Irish nicknames some day. It is now technically a fetus and no longer an embryo. That’s a big upgrade, baby. But you still have a long time to go before you can rent a car.

The 2011 REALTOR Nationwide Open House will be held on the weekend of June 4-5, 2011! This event, which began on a local level a few years ago, is a weekend when REALTORS across the country — and across the globe (!) — are invited to hold open houses in their area. It is designed to drive buyers’ attention and interest to homes for sale and offers opportunities to educate the public about the benefits of home ownership.

If you have your house listed at this time, ask your agent to hold an open house that weekend! They will be able to tap into a nationwide marketing campaign and hopefully drive some buyer traffic into your home.

Speaking of driving interest in your home, what is your agent doing for you?

Make sure there are plenty of quality photos of your home online.

Proofread the listing information carefully and consider, “Would I want to buy that house?”

Be sure the house is promoted on all available online sources such as trulia, homes.com, and more.

My sister in law commented on Facebook tonight about how much she misses her Pops. I always loved her Daddy. He was vastly intelligent, but a kind soul as well. Rupert was interesting, funny, and loving. It’s ironic that another person described their loved one – along with their dog – a gentle giant,

But with chaos can come laughter and joy. Her antics are many and intelligence quite impressive. I agree that her breed is that of being gentle giants. I find it interesting that many people referred to my father as a “giant of a man.” I have been struggling with losing him, and here I have stumbled across this gentle giant. Granted she is four legged, but she is still gentle and a giant…like he was.

I find it sweet that like Just Ramblin’ Pier talks about his dog Stella Rae with such love and passion because my own sister-in-law also finds great comfort from her animals. She is (perhaps like her own beloved father) one of the kindest hearted people when it comes to the four-legged brethren I’ve ever met.